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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Saga Requiem for a Jedi. Completed.

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by Valairy Scot, Feb 1, 2012.

  1. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
    That's the difference between Obi-Wan and Anakin. One could stay in the light and the other not. Great to see the differences in the characters.
     
  2. anakinfansince1983

    anakinfansince1983 Skywalker Saga/LFL/YJCC Manager star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Mar 4, 2011
    Loved this: Padme comforting Anakin, and then Anakin finally finding Hardeen--and wanting to take his revenge there but being stopped by the fact that Ahsoka was watching and by Obi-Wan's memory.

    I also liked that you touched upon the fact that no level of revenge was really going to satisfy Anakin; that he was ashamed of what happened with the Tuskens and it didn't take away the pain of losing his mother. A little scary that he wanted Hardeen to fight back so he could have a chance to kill him, but very much in character.

    Well done.
     
  3. Luna_Nightshade

    Luna_Nightshade Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 25, 2006
    Loved Anakin's reaction to both Padme's comfort and seeing the so-called murderer. He made the right decision this time, but you're writing how close he is to the dark very well. Looking forward to what happens when Anakin actually finds out... Awesome update! Beautifully written as always. (And the idea of throwing someone in jail so hard they'll rebound was quite the mental picture!)
     
  4. serendipityaey

    serendipityaey Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 24, 2004
    So nicely done, I love seeing the characters filled out [face_love]
     
  5. obimom

    obimom Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 31, 2010
    As I said, great stuff, this. You could do the "novelization" of this story arc - officially, I mean, if you got the approval to do so. That would be awesome. :)
     
  6. Valairy Scot

    Valairy Scot Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 16, 2005
    Toni: Anakin will get an inkling soon; the truth a bit later.

    earlybird-obi-wan: Oh, both are still in the light at this time. Obi-Wan is struggling with the morality of his deception and Anakin will be.

    Anakinfansince1986: I saw Anakin using Ahsoka and Obi-Wan much as Obi-Wan might use Qui-Gon or the Force to restrain himself. When tempted, one will use anything one can to remain grounded, and as much as Anakin desires revenge on some deep visceral level, he does not really, truly wish to indulge in it - he did once and found it wasn't as satisfying as it seems at the time.

    Luna_Nightshade: Anakin is going to be one unhappy Jedi when he finds out. This is a huge deception and he's going to feel played upon and used (as he was); he will find his perception of Obi-Wan has been shaken: his rock has been shown to have feet mired in the same ground as everyone else. Despite his protestations to the contrary, I think he's put Obi-Wan on a bit of pedestal and that pedestal is going to be shattered.

    Serendipityaey: That's why I write - to flesh out the characters.

    Obimom: I have to admit I'm feeling fairly pleased with this story.

    In this chapter, Obi-Wan faces a moral dilemna when the mission changes: he can no longer just gather information and leave and will have to decide if he can take lives for no reason other than to maintain his cover. Note most of the dialogue comes from the TCW episode.



    Chapter 5.

    Reputations rise and fall almost as regularly as the tides. ~~ Peter Benchley


    Obi-Wan had been in far worse places than prison: dingier, darker and infested with bugs. The company was another matter. What squalor was here was to be found in the thugs, murderers and assassins.

    His processing was fast, efficient and dehumanizing. He was stripped, searched, and deloused before allowed to dress in the standard orange jail jumpsuit and herded directly to the mess hall - it was meal time - and indifferently thrown into the pack to fend for himself. Everything seemed orderly enough, the inmates indifferently lined up with no jostling for position: a good indication the food was not worth the effort. Sure enough, the glop dispensed from a rank of machines ranked roughly on a par with the field rations he had grown so familiar with in the last few months, in other words, unappealing and unappetizing while probably exceedingly nutritious.

    Ignoring the stares and finger pointing, the whispers of “it’s Kenobi’s killer,” he found a seat apart from the others, speared a forkful of food and promptly choked on it. That vocal emulator was going to be a bit of a problem, not to mention that the food was even more atrocious than he had predicted.

    Out of the corner of his eye, Obi-Wan saw a Karkarodon heading his way, another inmate tagging along, most likely some hanger-on, who had apparently decided to take on the role of challenger. Rako Hardeen was going to prove up or be shown up. Well, there was nothing like a nice little confrontation to cement Hardeen’s reputation.

    Obi-Wan feigned total indifference as the Karkarodon leaned over him, dwarfing the seated man, in an obvious attempt to intimidate. He splayed his hands on the table, beady eyes alight with malice. Clearly playing to the room, his next words were addressed directly to “Rako,” although Obi-Wan placidly ignored him. “That’s him, that’s the Jedi killer. He doesn’t look so tough.” He brazenly swiped a glass off the tray and downed the contents, affixing “Rako” with an unblinking stare. “You don’t look so tough to me.” He punctuated his insult with a poke to Obi-Wan’s chest.

    Seemingly oblivious to the taunt, Obi-Wan muttered, “This food tastes horrible,” and simultaneously stabbed his fork down, pinning the Karkarodon’s hand to the table. Indifferent to the ensuing bellow of pain and anger, Obi-Wan grabbed an ear and yanked the Karkarodon’s head close to his mouth as his eyes barely slipped sideways in quiet speculation. “Maybe you’d taste better.”

    “Hey, what’s going on down there?” one of the clone guards called down from an elevated walkway.

    “Sorry, just playin’ with my food,” Rako released the ear and waggled his fingers in apology to the guard as his two uninvited “guests” scrambled away in haste.

    Supremely indifferent to the injured Karkarodon, Rako sipped from his cup. From a corner of his eye, he could see Moralo Eval studying him for a moment before the Phindian lumbered over and rested an arm on the table across from him.

    “Rako Hardeen; your reputation precedes you. I’m curious, when you killed that Jedi - was it for money or revenge?”

    “I don’t know,” Rako shrugged his shoulders. “Guess I was bored.”

    Eval chuckled. “I’ll be seeing you, Mr. Harden,” and with that left the Jedi killer to his meal.

    **
    Things seemed to be moving well, too well, perhaps. Obi-Wan’s senses prickled with foreboding. Nothing went this smoothly; this quickly. After mealtime he had been escorted to what was to be his new cell: his cellmate Moralo Eval himself.

    What a “coincidence.” Or not, as Eval smugly explained, not a coincidence but a set up, a result of his “great influence here.” Obi-Wan mentally filed that under corruption, something to check into at a later date. In response to his question “what do you want from me?” Eval informed him that for a man like him there was “bigger game than Jedi, if you’ve got the guts – a brilliant plan and it involves the Chancellor.” Before Eval could divulge any additional information, a cough from the top bunk interrupted.
    “Breaking this goon ou
    t along with us will cost you: double my rates.” Obi-Wan’s eyes narrowed as Cad Bane swung his legs over the bunk and stared at him. This definitely put a new spin on things. Bane stared back coldly as Eval introduced the two.

    “Who you calling a goon?” Obi-Wan demanded.

    “Any imbecile can kill a Jedi with a lousy sniper blast. You want my respect, you do it face to face.”

    “Who says I want your respect?” Obi-Wan shot back.

    “Make that triple my rate.”

    Eval merely chuckled and went on about the cell being too small for the three of them, forgetting what he heard, how he would have Hardeen “slaughtered” if he spoke of any of this. Obi-Wan was only half-listening; his mind far busier with the implications as Eval escorted him – like some minor government functionary subtly enforcing his rank to those he deemed his inferiors – back to the cell entrance where the guards waited.

    Eval and Bane, in cahoots. This most definitely was not something anyone had anticipated.

    **
    “Rako’s” previous “stunt” with the Karkarodon meant he had established his position fairly high up in the inmate hierarchy: to run off the two inmates in his way, all Obi-Wan had to do was to stroll up and clear his throat, and just like that, the weight machine was all his as the two inmates merely scowled and scattered like fowl stalked by a fe’ox. Obi-Wan smiled to himself and sat down. Stretching to one side then the other, reaching forward and back, he snagged the comlink planted under the bench.

    The secure link connected immediately to the Temple. “This is Ben,” he quietly intoned. Mace and Yoda gazed at him, quiet and expectant as he filled them in, although a part of him focused on his surroundings, ready to catch the slightest hint of interest in him.

    “We’ve got a problem. Eval almost divulged the plot, but Cad Bane stopped him.”

    “Cade Bane? We had no intel he was in with Eval on this,” Mace was surprised enough to actually show it.

    “It appears Eval hired Bane to break him out of prison.”

    “Foolish we were to believe Bane’s capture was without purpose.” Yoda nodded, leaning on his stick as his mind quickly calculated probabilities.

    “The prison break is imminent,” Obi-Wan warned, outlining his plans to stick tight to Eval and Bane. Mace and Yoda exchanged looks of deep concern, an echo of which Obi-Wan felt as well although he kept it concealed. A reasonably simple in/out was one thing, requiring only the simplest of briefings. Deception in prolonged proximity was something entirely different; especially when Obi-Wan was already suspicious that there was some history unknown to him between Hardeen and Bane.

    For a moment Obi-Wan wondered if he would be extracted from prison, but after a scant moment of silence, Mace merely warned him to be careful and not blow his cover; a vote of confidence and an expression of deep worry all at once.

    And it was at the next meal time the plan was initiated.

    It made sense for only at this time did the inmates mingle. The clatter of trays, the buzz of conversation, and the jostling of beings largely cooped up all day all combined to distract the sentry guards, subtly so. To an experienced and undercover Jedi, such moments only heightened awareness and prompted discrete probes into the Force.

    At first there was nothing, then a stirring…

    Obi-Wan outwardly relaxed, his muscles subtly stiffened as the Force tensed around him, its currents eddying with purpose. Now…now.

    Ever patient, waiting for events to take their own course as they would, he ignored the approaching Boba Fett while fully aware this was likely the opening salvo in what was certain to be – a decidedly interesting situation - and unfortunately, one in which it went without saying that by its end there would almost certainly be dead and dying.

    It was not something he looked forward to; it was not something he was in a position to avert. It was something he could mourn, now, in these few final seconds.

    All truculent resentment, Boba poked a finger at Obi-Wan’s face. “You stole a bounty from me; I want an apology.”

    Hardeen wouldn’t apologize. “Back off, kid,” Obi-Wan growled.

    “You don’t even remember me,” Boba accused, and smashed the Jedi’s tray right out of his hand.

    “You don’t want to do this,” Obi-Wan warned evenly.

    Boba hesitated, but with an encouraging nod of the head from Bane seated a few tables away, and emboldened by the cries for Hardeen to “kill him like you killed the Jedi,” he shouted, “yes, I do,” and jumped Obi-Wan, knocking him back against the table. It was the only blow he would strike, the only one the Jedi would allow. Hardeen probably wouldn’t have allowed even one. Boba swung, Obi-Wan dodged, and once more again before he calculated it was time to end the budding fight; before he ruined the reputation he had nurtured of “don’t mess with me.”

    Grabbing Boba’s wrist he wrenched it behind the young man’s back, locking the young bounty hunter into a strong choke hold, proof that Rako Hardeen couldn’t be bullied. He hoped it also established that he was not quick to jump into a fight but once in one, he was quick to end it.
    He couldn’t afford another misstep with Bane.

    His only regret was the blood certain to be shed in the coming fight, some of which might well be on his hands by virtue of his participation in the forthcoming jail break. He could no longer hope it would be a quiet escape by night; it would be escape by riot. Obi-Wan could not kill innocents to maintain his cover, but if he had successfully established himself as someone who only killed when paid to do so, he might yet find a way to maintain his honor and integrity as a Jedi without compromising his assumed persona.

    That, at least, was his hope.

    And that was exactly when all hope evaporated for that was when all hell broke loose. A bounty hunter he knew only by reputation and sight, Bossk, had apparently anointed himself Boba’s protector and jumped Obi-Wan from behind. The attack broke Obi-Wan’s hold on Boba. Wrapped in the Trandoshan’s huge hands, he was unceremoniously picked up and tossed the length of a table like a flagon of beer at a bar. He landed with an undignified thud as the attendant guards belatedly snapped to attention, calling for order.

    Sprawled on his back, he feigned having had the breath knocked out of him to allow him to observe, a brief moment amidst mayhem. He had to be careful in what manner he insinuated himself into alliance with Eval and a mistrustful Bane.

    All around guards were stunning prisoners; prisoners stunning guards with weapons ripped from fallen guards. Not all blasters remained set on stun.

    The Force was awash in turbulent waves of triumph and despair as chaos raged like a storm unleashing all its fury onto a sea, the only oasis of calm Bane and Eval, aloof from the mayhem surrounding them. They sat seemingly indifferent amidst the cacophony of blaring alarms, blaster shots, and hoarse yells.

    More guards rushed in; inmates shouldered past them. Finally, Bane nudged Eval, amidst the wave of fleeing prisoners they were but two of many, a seething mass overwhelming the reinforcements. On a two count, Obi-Wan sprang to his feet and trailed the pair, easily keeping track through the Force. Their path was purposeful – Bane knew exactly where he was headed.

    In time, Obi-Wan knew as well; the morgue, with its distinctive residue of recent death.

    He slipped from one corridor into another to see Bane fiddling with a recalcitrant entry pad; his sharp ears heard the mutter about changed codes.

    Ignoring Bane’s growl, Obi-Wan strode up and pulled the electronics out with a sharp, “I can bypass the lock; keep a look-out.” As soon as Bane and Eval reluctantly obeyed, he keyed the door open with a judicious application of the Force. “We’re in,” he hissed. So, too, was he, for the moment at least, for there was no time for Bane to argue with him. Footsteps were approaching. Arguing was only postponed as Bane nodded curtly and the three slipped into the capsules that carried the dead to the cremation chamber.

    This was going to be a quick trip to oblivion, or escape. Obi-Wan mentally shrugged, trying to ignore the dead Rhodian he was squeezed next to. They would have a very small window of opportunity to escape the caskets before certain incineration, but as Bane smugly advised, he had escaped via this means once before. Prison security must not have caught on for the Force was quiet, no warnings tickling at him.

    Muffled voices preceded the upending of the casket and a smooth drop. Sweat stung at Obi-Wan’s eyes; there was no room to disentangle himself from the Rhodian, whose snout was pushed against his throat. One – two – he mentally counted the seconds – three – a thud and the casket’s realigning itself to horizontal announced the next stage of the journey – and their exit?

    More muffled words – “life signs” – a blaster shot and Obi-Wan flipped open the lid. Bane and Eval had already grabbed blasters from the startled security guards. Half of them were already down. Bane and Eval took out another two as Obi-Wan ducked under the rush of a third and flipped him over his shoulder. The man went down hard yet half-rose as Obi-Wan snatched the blaster that had fallen from his hand.

    Why didn’t you stay down! Obi-Wan stepped back and drew careful aim – but he couldn’t do it, couldn’t shoot the man at such close range because if he did he had to kill him. He couldn’t merely wing him, not when he was “the marksman of Concord Dawn.” Kill the man, or don’t shoot the man. Be Rako Hardeen or Obi-Wan Kenobi.

    His internal dilemma was solved when Bane coolly shot the guard without hesitation.

    “My blaster jammed!” But it was a lame excuse; he knew that. He just hoped Bane didn’t, but the look in the bounty hunter’s eyes was suspicious and calculating. Still, the Duros said nothing as he led the way out of the room and towards the landing platforms, blasting all opposition.

    How many were dead, how many injured? The Force was turgid, shuddering, and would not reveal the toll to one Jedi, one man sworn to protect others and yet one who walked without protest through this slaughter.

    Yet every man felled was a man filed away for later reflection and private regret. Sometimes the greater good was so hollow, an excuse or a salve for the conscience. If there were another way, any other way… but the Force was not merciful and Republic guards died this day for the Republic. Their sacrifice was not in vain; these men gave their lives so that the Jedi could foil a plot against the Chancellor.

    There was no other way.

    But the haunting fear was carried within the Jedi that there had to have been an alternative, another way. The only one he knew, however, was for Palpatine to have canceled his trip. What was a ceremony balanced against lives? However, such thoughts in the middle of a mission were unbecoming and a dangerous distraction. What was done was done.

    He had a job to do.

    So Obi-Wan ran with Bane and Eval, jumped into the nearest skimmer with them, stayed with them as they docked at another landing platform and stole a ship right out from under the unsuspecting owner’s nose. The last one to board, Obi-Wan ran right into Bane’s fist, a solid punch to the face.

    “That was for hesitatin’ during the escape.”

    “If it wasn’t for me, we’d never have escaped ,” Obi-Wan growled, after carefully wiggling his jaw.

    “Yeah, funny how that worked out,” Bane drawled.

    And that’s when Obi-Wan’s bad feeling returned with a vengeance.
     
  7. Toni

    Toni Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 1998
    Have a feeling life for obi-wan won't get any better after the break out, but glad he knows what he's doing and already learned something.
     
  8. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
    WOW Bane and Bosk and Boba in the mix.

    Exciting how you write the action and I see it coming alive
    (have to wait until the end of the year to see the episode on DVD)
     
  9. Jade_Max

    Jade_Max Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jun 28, 2002
    I'm only on Chapter 4, but I have to comment; the depth of emotion you're stacking into this, the insight to the characters...

    One word: Wow!

    This is incredibly heart wrenching; I feel for everyone - even Obi-Wan. Much as he knows the deception is 'necessary', the consequences are ones he's willing to face even as he reflects on the fact that they might not be 'worth it'...

    Impressive. Very impressive..

    This story is something to be savored and I admit it, I'm taking my time, but I'll get caught up :D Not a story to rush through!
     
  10. Valairy Scot

    Valairy Scot Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 16, 2005
    Toni: Oh, indeed, Obi-Wan will find life getting more "interesting" rather than easier.

    Earlybird-Obi-Wan: Ah, the three "B's" of Badness...but Bossk and Boba don't appear again.

    Jade_Max: This IS a tough situation for the Jedi - the Order itself, Obi-Wan, Anakin... How much damage should one be willing to inflict on the individual(s) for the good of all - and should those costs be measured and how? How far does one dare to go for the preservation of a life, of a political system? All choices result in sacrifices, small and large, minor and moral-challenging.




    Chapter 6.

    ?If you obey all the rules, you miss all the fun? ~~ Katharine Hepburn


    Nal Hutta, only one of several hives of scum and villainy in the galaxy; it was an oasis for the seedy and disreputable, not a lovely place to visit but a lovely place to leave behind. Obi-Wan had a passing familiarity with the place and wished to keep it that way, a brief stopover out of necessity for a new ship, new clothes, and new weapons.

    Oh, and a new hat for Cade Bane. The Duros had made it quite clear he considered that a necessity, too, ranking right up there with his payment for services rendered.

    Moralo Eval just wanted a fast ship and a quick trip to Serenno.

    Obi-Wan just wanted to get the goods and get on with the mission, but he was willing to let the Force decree how and when. He had no desire to rush headlong into potential disaster by forcing events to move at a pace other than its own. His padawan might be able to twist the Force and thwart catastrophe into success by sheer brilliance and an unmatched Force connection, but Obi-Wan knew such was beyond both his capabilities and his desires. He was content to serve the Force, not command it.

    A Hutt-run planet was an unregulated marketplace for goods and few questions; a place where everything and anything was available for a price. It was also a place where anything and anyone could be discarded or sold.

    Obi-Wan had no plans to be one of the latter. He might be the unwanted and uninvited interloper but he was going the shake the sand of Nal Hutta off his boots when the other two did.

    Though it seemed the Force might have other ideas about that from the message it was sending.


    **


    ?And we?ve had no contact with Obi-Wan in how long??

    Since the question was rhetorical, no one bothered to answer. Since before the prison break, since one of the ? if not ?the? ? instigators of the plot to kill the Chancellor escaped jail, since the carefully planned undercover mission went sideways and had so far totally swallowed one of their one. Not one of the Jedi in the Jedi Council chambers would deny the atmosphere was strained and had been since the prison break that Obi-Wan had warned them was imminent was now a done deal ? and all contact with him had been severed. There had been no hint of contact ? and time enough had passed to make that worrisome.

    ?Uneasy am I; Obi-Wan was supposed to get the information and get out, not participate in a prison riot and escape,? Yoda murmured.

    ?We have no direct reports that he actually killed anyone,? Ki-Adi Mundi said, his tone meant to be reassuring. There was no doubt the Council had been dismayed to learn of the violence that had accompanied the escape; somehow, though not one of them had voiced the thought, they had thought the escape would be clandestine and without incidence.

    That they were wrong had shaken them badly.

    ?And we have no reports he did not, as well,? came a whispered breath, a thought that reverberated almost below hearing. It did not escape anyone?s attention that Yoda?s ears had raised and tipped forward, a sign of displeasure.

    ?When we assigned the mission we accepted the possibility that Obi-Wan might have to ? circumvent ? the code to preserve his cover,? Plo Koon pointed out hurriedly.

    Yoda sighed and rubbed a hand over the sparse hair on his head. The Council?s concern was not his, not the one at least that most concerned him
     
  11. Toni

    Toni Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 1998
    How true that the underworlders tend to backstab each other. And love seeing Palpatine subtly turning Anakin against the Council and towards him. And can't wait until Anakin finds "Hardeen."
     
  12. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
    Nice with Obi hating to fly and crashing the ship.
    And the council and their thoughts on Obi-Wan. he has been captured by Ventress. They sure know about the horrifying experience on Rattatak and the slow recovery.
    Anakin headed for trouble?
     
  13. Luna_Nightshade

    Luna_Nightshade Manager Emeritus star 5 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Jan 25, 2006
    Caught up! I really like how you are showing Anakin's emotions playing him right into Palpatine's hands. It is very exciting to see the duplicity of the Order and how they are twisting things for Obi-Wan to succeed in his mission. I like seeing the seedier characters/situations, as they are rarely written, if at all. Great updates... really curious to see what will happen when Anakin figures out he has been "duped."
     
  14. ZaraValinor

    ZaraValinor Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 31, 2002
    I so woefully know next to nothing about the clone wars, but you really make me want to catch up. I love Obi-Wan's thoughts behind the mask he was forced to wear in these episodes. You're such a great write, I look forward to more soon!
     
  15. charie

    charie Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Oct 6, 2007

    I'm following this on another site under a different title but you are further ahead here. Yay! Just loving it and can't wait for more:)
     
  16. obimom

    obimom Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Oct 31, 2010
    I love how you're taking the outer shell of the show and filling it in with the thoughts, emotions, and inner decisions and conflicts Obi-Wan is facing. Brilliant.

    =D=

    (Yeah, I switched to reading it here...) :D
     
  17. Jade_Max

    Jade_Max Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jun 28, 2002
    Still a chapter behind, but getting there *grin*

    Having seen the episodes, I;m getting such a thrill seeing how you're fleshing them out. Obi-Wan is in character but at the same time, being pushed out of it by the face he's wearing. You handled the prison riot perfectly, even having seen it, you managed to match up everything in the show with Obi-Wan's Force senses and turmoil regarding the situation.

    His internal dilemma and justifications were superb; I love how he can't quite justify this. Especially since it's just for one man.

    Excellent job!
     
  18. Jade_Max

    Jade_Max Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jun 28, 2002
    I think my favorite part of this is the Anakin and the Council scene. They tell him flat out and he still doesn't listen!

    The emotional charge on Anakin's side, the moral ambiguity on the Jedi and Obi-Wan's personal thoughts and doubts have all transformed this into a feast for the mind. There's a lot of punch in what you pack into the page - especially something so heart wrenching as this.

    Oh... all caught up to chapter 6 now!
     
  19. Valairy Scot

    Valairy Scot Manager Emeritus star 6 VIP - Former Mod/RSA

    Registered:
    Sep 16, 2005
    Toni, ah, yes, the backstabbing...the subtle undercutting...it's all there and SO much fun to write.

    earlybird-obi-wan: You can think Rattatak - though that's probably all wiped out now by TCW - Jabiim didn't happen, it seems. Obi-Wan's getting some crash practice in, though.

    Luna_Nightshade: It is very exciting to see the duplicity of the Order and how they are twisting things for Obi-Wan to succeed in his mission. Well, there's duplicity and then there's duplicity. They're doing it for a noble and lofty goal - but then, does the end justify the means? It's not a clear cut answer no in this case, but it is harmful to Anakin and a few others. Its a morally gray area, all right.

    ZaraValinor: There's cringe-worthy, okay, and superb episodes in TCW. Overall, its worthwhile, but in 22 minutes/episode you can only get so much in. Any visual medium you can only get so much in which I why I love reading and writing.

    Charie: I'll probably be slightly more ahead here; glad to see you.

    Obimom: I love how you're taking the outer shell of the show and filling it in with the thoughts, emotions, and inner decisions and conflicts Obi-Wan is facing. Yup, that's what I'm doing all right.

    Jade_Max: His internal dilemma and justifications were superb; I love how he can't quite justify this. It's not easy for Obi-Wan to deceive Anakin like this - especially Anakin. He knows other Jedi will understand; I think he thought Mace or Yoda might tell Anakin sooner than they did. I don't think the Jedi are really "the end justifies the means" kind of folks, but war forces moral ambiguity upon all the participants and probably even those who merely try to end the fighting.

    It's an interesting moral perspective: can one stand up for one's principles when to do so allows harm to come to some? How does one disentangle good from bad, in both execution and results? I've often used the "Obi-Wan won't give up his soul to save Anakin/__" but what if by so doing, he saved the galaxy from untold decades of oppression?

    If we didn't know what happened after Mustafar, should Obi-Wan have violated the code in killing an unarmed man or should he have allowed fate/The Force to decide Anakin's fate? I've heard impassioned arguments both ways, all valid. Yet which trumps which?

    It's actually quite fascinating to explore the hows and whys of individual choices, especially when those choices impact so many.





    Chapter 7.

    Nowadays men lead lives of noisy desperation. ~~ James Thurber


    Thud!

    The scrape of durasteel against durasteel was loud, annoying, and a sign of a desperate or highly skilled pilot. At these speeds, ramming a ship was almost a guarantee that both ships would wipe out. A crash was preferable to a smash which was why Obi-Wan was figuring on crash number two as an inevitability.

    Of course, having just fueled up here on Orondia ? of course they?d been sold out on Nal Hutta ? there was quite the possibility of going up in flames as well as smashing into tiny pieces. Crush us, grind us into tiny pieces and blast us into oblivion- he?d said that years ago on Naboo and it seemed to fit this situation just as well now as then.

    Maybe better.

    The ship slammed into them once more and then passed overhead, a red-striped ship. ?Jedi,? Bane spat as the ship dove down, trying to cut them off or force them to spin out of control from his engine wash. Anakin, Obi-Wan realized: not the Hutts, not thugs, but Anakin. Blast it! If he could have spared a hand he would have slapped the console in dismay. Hadn?t Yoda or Mace told Anakin ? they had promised. He swung the ship up and side-slipped, knowing full well that he was no match for Anakin, not in the cockpit.

    Thwack!

    Somehow, impossibly, Obi-Wan kept the ship aloft as Anakin slammed into them again and again, trying to force him down. He needed to gain altitude, get out of the planet?s gravity well and esc
     
  20. Jade_Max

    Jade_Max Jedi Grand Master star 5

    Registered:
    Jun 28, 2002
    You get into Obi-Wan's head oh so very well. His conflict, his concern, his frustration all tie into one overriding statement that you captured just beautifully with this statement: Once more Obi-Wan had to fix whatever wouldn?t have been broken if Anakin hadn?t been in the middle trying to fix what wasn?t broken!

    I love that; it sums up Anakin's rash actions beautifully not just in this story but also as a whole. Obi-Wan cleaning up Aankin's messes.

    His irritation at the council is bound to come out though; they were supposed to tell Anakin and have failed in doing so, which has caused this scenario as much as the original deception. His frustration in that aspect is well written too ;)

    Watching Obi-Wan's thought process as he's forced to act like a bounty hunter, but at the same time engage Anakin in close combat and proceed to beat the ever living force out of him, was agonizing. He doesn't want to do it, but, if he's not going to do it, he's going to blow his cover and there are greater things at risk here.

    This was my favorite line:

    He?d been wrong, in those early hours in prison. Being ?bad? was not enjoyable; it sickened him.

    His reaction to Ahsoka's appearance though, made me grin; I can see him thanking her later [or maybe not?] for being there to protect Anakin when he couldn't.

    Good job.
     
  21. Toni

    Toni Jedi Master star 1

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 1998
    Some nice almost ROTS foreshadowing here - I like it (-: And you've captured Obi-Wan's frustrations with Anakin and this mission so well.
     
  22. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
    Now even more eager awaiting that episode on DVD.

    WOW you can write action and the thoughts behind it.
     
  23. ZaraValinor

    ZaraValinor Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    May 31, 2002
    Another great addition. I was a little unnerved by Obi-Wan's brutality when I watched this episode, but at the same time it makes sense. He was forced to hurt Anakin to save him. And it is so true of the whole story arch, though I don't want to give anything away for those that haven't seen it.
     
  24. serendipityaey

    serendipityaey Jedi Master star 4

    Registered:
    Jan 24, 2004
    Still so enjoying the careful insights into the characters, so much better than watching those episodes for me - so little of Obi-Wan truly seems to be captured on that show... During the prison stuff I especially loved the play in Obi's consciousness between what Rako would do, what Obi-Wan would do and what he should do *as* Rako, complicated and feeling and very Obi. Also liked his struggle with the idea that there had to be a better way than letting anyone die :( but he had to do what he had to do. Great stuff!
     
  25. charie

    charie Jedi Youngling star 2

    Registered:
    Oct 6, 2007

    I love the extra insight your story is giving to the characters. I hope you go more into the rift between Obi-wan and Anakin more than the t.v. Show did.(I suspect you will as your specialty is digging deep into our characters) great chapter. More soon please:)